System and Method for Making and Tracking Government-Related Payments in a Cross-Jurisdiction Payment Environment

ABSTRACT

A computer-implemented method is provided for payment of financial obligations to a selected agency from a payment source including at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a prepaid debit card, a checking account, a brokerage account or an electronic payment. Payment is made through an agency computing device associated with any one of a plurality of participating agencies communicating with a transaction processor computer system via a communication network.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No.15/670,817, filed on Aug. 7, 2017, now allowed, which claims the benefitof U.S. application Ser. No. 14/215,112, filed on Mar. 17, 2014, nowabandoned, which claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No.61/768,891, now expired, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosures ofwhich are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a user-focused system and method ofGovernment Payment Service, Inc., dba GovPayNet® (“GovPayNet”) primarilyused to enable constituents and remote users of government Agencies tomore conveniently and expeditiously pay monies owed to a governmentoffice, department, quasi-government organization, or other publicauthority or entity (“Agency”) in connection with exercising variousrights, securing various privileges, and making various purchases, suchas paying fees for goods, services, licenses and permits, the posting ofcash bail, the payment of warrants, citations, fines, probation fees,electronic monitoring fees, enforced child support, and other publiccharges in connection with exercising various rights and satisfyingvarious obligations using modern, electronic financial means(“Transaction”).

The system and method of the present disclosure provides the ability foran Agency to provide an Internet payment environment for the acceptanceof a credit card, debit card or prepaid debit card including but notlimited to those issued by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express,Diners, or JCB (“Card Associations”), or other method to electronicallyobtain funds from other financial service providers and accounts(“Payment Device”) used by an individual (“Payment Device Holder”). Theuse of Payment Devices to make payments electronically, including overthe Internet, is based in large part upon the information encoded uponthe Payment Device (“Payment Device Data”) being automatically accessedby GovPayNet and similar electronic Transaction processing companies. Itis the ability to access Payment Device Data that enables the PaymentDevice Holder (usually a consumer but also potentially an employee usingan organization's Payment Device) to perform a Transaction at any Agencyparticipating in the system and method of the present disclosureregardless of the Agency to which the obligation is payable, as long asthe payee Agency also uses the system and method.

Private businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and public orquasi-public entities that accept Payment Devices generally contractwith a third-party entity in the business (such as GovPayNet) ofproviding the connectivity, technology and operational support necessaryfor the acceptance of Payment Devices (“Processing Company”). The systemand method of an illustrated embodiment of the present disclosureenables the Processing Company to make the system and method availableto all Agencies under contract with the Processing Company for acceptingTransactions not only for their own benefit but on behalf of otherAgencies participating in the system and method and to confirm whetheran obligation owed to that Agency has been paid through the presentsystem and method to another Agency where both Agencies participate inthe system and method.

The present disclosure uses data processing, payment industry,telecommunications and wireless technologies to accept Payment Devicesused by a Payment Device Holder at an Agency so that the Agency mayfacilitate the acceptance of payments for any other Agency for which thefirst Agency is willing to provide this service. This distinguishes itfrom other methods in which a Processing Company accepts Transactions onbehalf of a variety of Agencies. Where the system and method isdeployed, each Agency participating in the system may act as acooperative access point for the processing of a payment intended forany other participating Agency. Also, any system-participating Agencymay verify directly that a payment owed to that Agency has beensatisfied even if made through another system-participating Agency. Thesystem and method accomplishes this by software configured to allow aparticipating Agency to accept Payment Device Data for any otherparticipating Agency and transmit it through a secure connection to theProcessing Company's Transaction processing system. In this manner, theProcessing Company establishes an “interoperable,” secure,Internet-based, networked payment environment that multiplies thepayment acceptance ability of any Agency by leveraging the facilities ofall other participating Agencies.

GovPayNet processes Payment Device Data in full compliance with PaymentDevice Industry Data Security Standards, which are the rules promulgatedand revised from time to time by the PCI Security Standards Council orsuch successor rules or organization that may be formed. There are alsopublic sector laws and regulations requiring actions and imposingliability pertaining to a data breach involving Payment Device Data.There are other private sector security and operating requirements,plans, and programs applicable to Payment Device Data and Transactions,such as the rules and regulations governing entity participation in theCard Associations, as they may be amended from time to time(“Association Rules”), Collectively, these private sector and publicsector provisions define an extensive, complex and evolving matrix ofrequirements that entities engaging in an electronic paymentenvironment, such as the Internet, must meet in order to enable paymentsusing Payment Devices and prevent the unintentional disclosure ofPayment Device Data. The system and method of the present disclosuredoes not interfere with or compromise GovPayNet's ability to accept andhandle Payment Device Data in full compliance with any data securitystandards or Association Rules.

It is anticipated that the system and method of the present disclosurewill be used by groups of participating Agencies that have a motivationto cooperate. Examples include Agencies in a shared purchasingenvironment, typically regionally managed or Agencies that have otherreason to cooperate such as local Agencies within a county, Agenciesthat share borders, Agencies that are “feeder” Agencies to other centralAgencies, or other Agencies for which coordinated payment andconfirmation of payment is in the Agencies' collective interests, as isoften the case in state and local law enforcement. Although lawenforcement Agencies routinely participate in shared offender datasystems these efforts are still a work in progress in many respects.

In contrast, use of the system and method can provide real-time accessto payment information immediately updated as Transactions are settledfinancially. This, of course, is not the same as instant access tocriminal or other records, but the ability of Agencies to acceptpayments through the system and method is accompanied by the ability toverify that payments have been made through a cooperating Agency on areal-time basis is an advantage over accessing court records that maynot be updated as quickly.

The system and method of the present disclosure would also haveapplicability in a situation in which a participating Agency's orAgencies' ability to accept Transactions is compromised by a manmade ornatural disaster. In such circumstances, displaced constituents of anyaffected. Agency may be permitted to continue to satisfy their financialobligations to local government by acting through other participatingAgencies; for example, residents of one coastal city who have evacuatedto another nearby city. Additionally, as individual networks ofparticipating Agencies using the system and method expand, opportunitieswill grow for user networks in proximity with other user networks tobecome connected into even larger networks, for the benefit of allsystem stakeholders.

Additional features of the present system will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode ofcarrying out the present system as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of this present system willbecome more readily appreciated and better understood by reference tothe following detailed description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of the Agencycomputing device and its interaction with the GovPayNet computing deviceand associated elements of the payment process in which the system andmethod of the present disclosure operates;

FIG. 2 illustrates an Agency computing device coupled to a memory and aplurality of input and output devices;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating steps performed to process a paymentinvolving use of the system and method of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating steps performed to process a paymentafter the system and method has been activated;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating funds flow to settle finds to theAgency after a payment has been authorized through use of the system andmethod;

FIG. 6 is a screen shot depicting the initial display and authorizationsrequired to grant the user access to the system and method of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a screen shot depicting the home page visible to the user ofthe system and method of the present disclosure with a user accessingthe functions and utilities of the system and method of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 8 is a screen shot depicting the web page where the user will enterpayment information;

FIG. 9 is a screen shot depicting the confirmation process the user willcomplete regarding payment information;

FIG. 10 is a screen shot depicting the specific payment amount entryprocess the user will complete;

FIG. 11 is a screen shot depicting the card information that the usermust supply;

FIG. 12 is a screen shot depicting the confirmation of a successfulpayment that will be displayed to the user; and

FIG. 13 is a screen shot depicting a confirmation of payment that theuser may print to conclude use of the system and method of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thepresent disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodimentsdisclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the presentsystem to the precise form disclosed in the following detaileddescription. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so thatothers skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. Therefore, nolimitation of the scope of the claimed present system is therebyintended. The present system includes any alterations and furthermodifications of the illustrated devices and described methods andfurther applications of the principles of the present system which wouldnormally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present systemrelates. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

This application refers to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/982,500,filed on Dec. 30, 2010, titled “System and Method for ManagingIncarcerated Populations through Automated Pretrial Release ServicesIncluding Electronic Bail, Fine and Fee Payment”, which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein. Certain systems and methods utilizedin application Ser. No. 12/982,500 are relevant or supplemental to thesystem and method described herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 in which an Agency computing device 120communicates with a GovPayNet computing device 200 through an electroniccommunication network 106A. Agency computing device 120 may be accessedby a user 102, presumed to be an Agency employee, through a plurality ofother computing devices, labeled collectively as remote computing device121. Exemplary remote computing devices include a personal dataassistant (“PDA”), cellular device such as smart phone, tablet computer,or other device capable of the communications discussed herein. Agencycomputing device 120 may be a general purpose computer or a portablecomputing device such as a laptop computer. Although Agency computingdevice 120 is illustrated as a single computing device, multiplecomputing devices may be used together, such as over a network or othermethods of transferring data. Agency computing device 120 accesses amemory 123 as further described in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, memory 123 to which Agency computing device 120 hasaccess is a computer readable medium and may be a single storage deviceor multiple storage devices, located either locally with Agencycomputing device 120 or accessible across a network. By way of example,and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computerstorage media. Exemplary computer storage media includes, but is notlimited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology,CD-ROM, Digital Versatile Disk (“DVD”) or other optical disk storage,magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to storeinformation and which can be accessed by Agency computing device 120including remote storage devices or cloud storage devices.

Agency computing device 120 also has access to one or more outputdevices 124. Exemplary output devices 124 include a display 126, files128, and an auxiliary device 130. Exemplary auxiliary devices 130include devices which may be coupled to Agency computing device 120,such as a printer. Files 128 may have various formats. In oneembodiment, files 128 are formatted for display by an Internet browser,and may include one or more of HyperText Markup Language (“HTML”), orother formatting instructions. In one embodiment, files 128 are filesstored in memory 123 for transmission to another computing device andeventual presentation by another output device or at least to influenceinformation provided by the other output device.

Agency computing device 120 also has access to one or more input devices136. Exemplary input devices 136 include card swipe device 122, display138 (such as a touch display), keyboard 140 (such as a standard keyboardor a keypad), a pointer device (such as a mouse, a roller ball, astylus), and other suitable devices by which an operator may provideinput to Agency computing device 120. Card swipe device 122, as morethoroughly explained in application Ser. No. 12/982,500, emulates thefunction of an Agency keyboard 140 by reading cardholder data from themagnetic stripe on the back of a standard credit card or debit card and,through the use of software proprietary to GovPayNet, populating datafields required to be completed to process a Transaction with billinginformation accessed from the card's magnetic stripe more accurately andefficiently than by manual means (reference is made to application Ser.No. 12/982,500 for further discussion of the functions and role of cardswipe device 122). As more particularly described in application Ser.No. 12/982,500, this system and method is also available to the PaymentDevice Holder for making a payment at the scene of an event, such as thetime and place of a traffic infraction.

Memory 123 includes operating system software 150, communicationssoftware 152, and an Agency database 154. Exemplary communicationssoftware 152 includes e-mail software, Internet browser software, filesharing software and other types of software which permit Agencycomputing device 120 to communicate with other computing devices acrossa public switched network 106A. An exemplary public switched network isthe Internet.

Referring to FIG. 1, Agency user 102 is shown as associated with theAgency computing device 120, remote computing device 121 and card swipedevice 122. A given user 102 may have multiple computing devicescategorized under remote computing device 121 through which user 102 mayaccess Agency computing device 120, as illustrated, through network106A. For example, Agency computing device 120 is a computer system withwhich user 102 can communicate through a communication network 106Awhich is illustratively a public switched network, such as the Internet.Access to network 106A may also be enabled by an intermediary network,in that the provider of cellular service provides a connection to theInternet. For purposes of the present disclosure, illustrating all typesof networks within network 106A through which user 102 may communicate,directly and indirectly, with Agency computing device 120 is notnecessary.

GovPayNet computing device 200 is labeled as “Computing Device/Server”because it serves or otherwise makes available various applications,information, products or services. In one embodiment, GovPayNetcomputing device 200 is a web server and the various applications areweb sites which are served by computing device 200. Although a singleserver 200 is shown, it is understood that multiple computing devicesare often implemented to function as the illustrated server 200.

GovPayNet computing device 200 has access to a memory 210. Memory 210 isa computer readable medium and may be a single storage device ormultiple storage devices, located either locally with GovPayNetcomputing device 200 or accessible across a network 106.Computer-readable media may be any available media that can be accessedby GovPayNet computing device 200 and includes both volatile andnon-volatile media. Further, computer readable-media may be one or bothof removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and notlimitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media.Exemplary computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM,ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, DVD orother optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magneticdisk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other mediumwhich can be used to store information and which can be accessed byGovPayNet computing device 200 including remote storage devices or cloudstorage devices.

In addition to one or more GovPayNet applications 212, memory 210 storesone or more databases 214 which are used by the GovPayNet applications212. Memory 210 also includes an account or access managementapplications 216. Memory 210 further includes communications software.Exemplary communications software include e-mail software, web serversoftware, and other types of software which permit GovPayNet computingdevice 200 to communicate with Agency computing device 120 acrossnetwork 106A. Communication also occurs between the GovPayNet computingdevice 200 and any other suitable other network 106B including privatenetworks. Exemplary other suitable networks 106B include CardAssociation processing networks and the electronic funds transfer(“EFT”) network used by the banking industry for online debittransactions, such as point-of-sale (“POS”) and automated teller machinenetworks.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present disclosure can involve use of a cardswipe device 122 configured to be coupled to Agency computing device120. In an illustrated embodiment, the card swipe device 122 may be aMiniMag™ compact intelligent magnetic stripe swipe reader available fromIDTECH located in Cypress, Calif., the specifications of which areincorporated herein by reference. Illustratively, the card swipe device122 may be plugged into an USB port of the Agency computing device 120.The card swipe device 122 is programmed to retrieve information encodedin the magnetic stripe on a consumer credit or debit card when the cardis swiped and input the information into the GovPayNet web site madeavailable via the Agency computing device 120 through a secureconnection over the communication network 106A to the GovPayNetcomputing device 200. In another embodiment, an iPhone, or othersuitable smart phone or PDA equipped with a magnetic stripe reader maybe used as an Agency remote computing device 121.

In particular, the present system is intended to expedite the payment ofvarious public obligations by government constituents to an Agency suchas property taxes, business taxes, license fees, tuition, medicalco-payments, or the payment required for various goods and servicesprovided, as well as penalties assessed by government. The presentsystem and method enables the paying party to make these paymentssecurely through an Agency computer environment other than the computerenvironment or other payment portal (i.e., POS) of the Agency to whichthe obligation is owed.

In an illustrated embodiment, the Agency and GovPayNet have anintegrated computing environment to enable the Agency and GovPayNet toshare files with one another. This enables an Agency to establish a filein a data processing system and communicate it through the Internet orother suitable network 106A supported by an appropriate communicationlink from the Agency computing device 120 to the GovPayNet computingdevice 200. The information necessary to establish this file is obtainedwhen the Agency downloads data in batch form to GovPayNet regarding, forexample, parcel identification numbers for property tax administration,utility accounts, traffic tickets, or any data that assists GovPayNet inestablishing a data base 214 within GovPayNet memory 210 that canexpedite the processing of payments.

The downloaded data is illustratively filtered based on variousparameters set on the Agency central data processing platform, theGovPayNet central data processing platform, or both. In one embodiment,the data includes information that enables the GovPayNet computingdevice 200 to further categorize and prioritize individual payments formore efficient handling. Alternatively, the GovPayNet computing device200 accesses an Agency data base 154 via network 106A to query data nottransmitted by the Agency to GovPayNet but instead stored and managed bythe Agency.

The GovPayNet computing device then connects via network 106B with apayment authorization processor 300 where the payment is approved ordenied, a standard industry process more fully depicted in FIG. 4. Ifthe payment authorization processor 300 denies the payment, this denialmessage is sent to the GovPayNet computing device 200 then sent vianetwork 106A to the Agency computing device 120 where it is displayed onscreen to user 102. If approved, an approval message is sent in the samemanner, and user 102 is given the option of printing the onlineconfirmation 310, or providing information enabling user 102 to receivean email confirmation 320, a facsimile confirmation 330, or otherconfirmation 340, such as via short message service (“SMS”), Twitter,Facebook account, or other telecommunication or social media venue.

FIG. 3 depicts how the system and method of the present disclosure isinvolved in the Transaction, noted by the symbol “Tx” on FIG. 3, andassociated processes. At step 400, the consumer initiates the paymentprocess with the assistance of Agency staff (i.e., user 102) whomaccesses the Agency computing device via the Agency's web site, a remotecomputing device that accesses the Agency's web site, or at an Agencylocation using an Agency computing device with or without an associatedcard swipe device. Also at step 400, the user completes on behalf orwith the assistance of the consumer an Agency-provided selection processto identify the type of payment desired (i.e., property tax payment,utility payment, license renewal fee, parking ticket, bail posting,child support payment, etc.). Key to the functioning of the system andmethod of the present disclosure is the ability of the user to enter apayment location code (“PLC”) containing identifying data, noted by thesymbol “PLC” on FIG. 3, that provide further information andinstructions in connection with the Transaction being attempted.

PLCs are preprogrammed GovPayNet instructions established for eachAgency that activate the system and method of the present disclosure andcontrol GovPayNet system operations with respect to any given Agency.PLCs are established by GovPayNet on its Transaction processing systemduring Agency service implementation and are contained within aGovPayNet database. A PLC can be thought of as a stock keeping unit(“SKU”) identifying specific information in a way that is similar to theSKU identifying a unique product. Agencies may have multiple PLCs inorder to process different Transactions. Seasonality, adoption rates andother factors determine the number of active PLCs at any time, though acore number of PLCs is always active on the GovPayNet Transactionprocessing system.

PLCs are used to differentiate between types of Transactions at anAgency (dog license vs. traffic ticket vs. child support), sub-locationswithin an Agency (i.e., First District Court vs. Second District Court),and to apply system functionality (i.e., bank routing and accountnumbers for ACH payments). PLCs are established according toinstructions each Agency's management provides to GovPayNet duringimplementation or modifies through subsequent instructions to GovPayNetfrom time to time. For Agencies desiring to utilize the system andmethod of the present disclosure, this instruction is added to the PLCsapplicable to that Agency, and all other Agencies participating in thatextension of the service.

GovPayNet instructs Agencies to make PLCs assigned to their facilitiesavailable to consumers and trains users on their role and importance.The procedure for making a payment to a government agency under contractwith GovPayNet can vary, as GovPayNet is increasingly removing PLCs fromthe consumer and user experience so that they do not have to remember,select or enter a code, as this process is being replaced by a moreadvanced, flexible and user-friendly web solution, that delivers the PLCto GovPayNet on a basis that is transparent to the consumer and theuser. Some instances, however, still require the individual contactingGovPayNet to provide a PLC that Agency staff make available to theconsumer for Transaction processing purposes.

Among the information that a PLC conveys to the GovPayNet computingdevice is the identity of the Agency associated with a Transaction. Ifthe Agency is authorized to accept Transactions on behalf of otherAgencies, this capability is encoded in the initiating Agency's own PLC,thus enabling the initiating Agency user to enter or otherwise transmitto GovPayNet, as a part of the Transaction information, the PLC ofanother Agency that is being served by the system and method through theuser's Agency.

At step 402, the Agency computing device accesses the GovPayNetcomputing device through the Internet (i.e., network 106A) using asecure socket layer (“SSL”) communication channel and communicates allTransaction data along with the PLC associated with that Transaction.This initiates a validation process, step 404, in which the GovPayNetcomputing system confirms that the PLC is valid and that the Transactionis a proper Transaction for that Agency. The GovPayNet system thenpublishes a series of web forms and screens (as referenced moreparticularly in FIG. 6 through FIG. 13) in a specific sequence for theentry of additional Transaction-related information, concluding with aconfirmation screen that may be printed and given to the consumer as arecord of a successful payment. Card data may be entered at this pointvia the Agency computing device by the consumer, by Agency staffonbehalf of the consumer, or by the card swipe device that may be deployedby GovPayNet to the participating Agency for this purpose (as fullydescribed in application Ser. No. 12/982,500).

As threshold actions to the completion of step 404, the GovPayNetcomputing device employs custom software (GovPayNet applications 212 andmanagement applications 216) for several tasks, including validation ofthe Agency against information previously encoded to the GovPayNetcentral data processing system (in database 216).

Step 406 involves the GovPayNet central processing system accessing theGovPayNet PLC Database and associating certain information with theTransaction being attempted, based on the data encoded in the PLC thatapplies to that Transaction.

Step 408 depicts the population of PLCs and the data they contain inhierarchical format. Both “Transaction Data” and “Agency Data” areassociated with the Transaction through the GovPayNet's central dataprocessing system's interactions with this PLC Database. TransactionData is sorted and applied, first, by payment “segment” represented inFIG. 3 as “segment₁” through “segment_(N).” By way of illustration andnot limitation, one segment may include the category “criminal justicesystem payment,” another “civil system payment,” a third “tax payment,”and so on. Each segment is further divided into payment “type”represented in FIG. 3 as “type₁” through “type_(N).” A “criminal justicesegment payment” at the “type” level may be the posting of cash bail, arestitution payment, payment of an outstanding warrant, payment of anelectronic monitoring fee, or some other payment associated withadministrative and custody processes in the criminal justice system. A“civil system payment” at the “type” level may be a court fee, licensefee, permit fee, tuition, medical co-payment or any other paymentassociated with satisfying civil obligations or obtaininggovernment-provided goods and services. A “tax segment payment” maysimilarly be divided into multiple “types” such as real property tax,personal property tax, business occupation tax, franchise tax, or othertax imposed through an Agency upon its constituents. Agency datacontained in a PLC consists of the Agency's name, the Agency's location,the types of payments that GovPayNet services for that Agency, the feethat applies to any given payment type, the method through whichGovPayNet settles funds owed to the payee Agency upon the completion ofa daily payment cycle (automated clearinghouse (“ACH”), wire transfer,check, etc.) and the banking information required to complete a payment(bank routing number and account number for ACH and wire transfer,address for checks, etc.), and other information required for GovPayNetto manage its payment acceptance duties on behalf of the Agency.

Step 410 depicts the GovPayNet central data processing system'sestablishment of a Transaction record in which all payment details andPLC information is assembled. These Transaction records are the basisfor the management information system (“MIS”) available to GovPayNetpersonnel (step 412) and Agency personnel (step 414). GovPayNet MISenables both Agencies and GovPayNet to generate reports and take variousauthorized administrative actions with respect to a Transaction.

Upon the completion of the initial Agency and PLC verification and asthe various payment data is assembled and initial MIS produced (steps402 through 414), at step 416, the GovPayNet system initiates therequest for authorization from the issuer of the Payment Device (forexample, a bank that issued a credit card) to make a payment. The user,having entered all information required for a Transaction. At thispoint, other GovPayNet applications and databases calculate the feeapplicable to the consumer's payment and give the consumer a finalopportunity to cancel the payment by publishing this information andoption on an updated screen (this is a requirement of AssociationRules). GovPayNet then interacts through the appropriate network(network 106B, whether a Card Association network, EFT network or othernetwork) to access the appropriate payment authorization processor(typically a bank that has issued a credit card, debit card, or EFTprivileges to the user). If there are insufficient funds available tocover both the payment to the Agency and the fee that the PLC associateswith that payment, the payment authorization processor denies theTransaction and this information is reported through the GovPayNetcomputing device to the Agency computing device and the user so informsthe consumer (the GovPayNet system also provides a “Try another card?”option). If sufficient funds exist to cover the payment and the feeassociated with the Transaction, but upon review of the payment detailsincluding the calculated fee, the consumer decides not to make thepayment, the consumer will instruct the user to click a “cancel payment”button and the Transaction is ended. For purposes of illustrating thesystem and method of the present disclosure, it is assumed thatsufficient funds are available to cover the payment amount and theapplicable fee, and that the consumer approves the payment. If so, theuser clicks a “make payment” button. The payment authorization processis more fully depicted in FIG. 4

At step 418, upon the successful interaction of the GovPayNet centraldata processing system and the payment authorization processor's centraldata processing system, the GovPayNet system generates a “PaymentProcessing Successful” message to the Agency computing device displayedto the Agency user and the consumer. This step provides the user withthe opportunity to request a payment confirmation through any of themethods previously described.

The settlement process initiates at step 420. All Transactions approvedthrough use of the system are settled later through an end-of-daysettlement cycle. As presently envisioned for the system and method,GovPayNet's and each Agency's systems are integrated in order to permitfile sharing and data updates. Therefore, the Agency's system andGovPayNet's system interact to compare transaction details and totalsfor the concluded processing day, as they would normally in anintegrated environment—all other manners of integration betweenGovPayNet's Transaction processing platform and the Agency, such ascashiering, accounting, reporting, or other systems and data bases, aresimilarly unaffected by the system and method's operation. The Agencythen identifies errors and exceptions to for later resolution, andconfirms accurate Transactions to GovPayNet. Separately, the financialinstitution that authorized the Transaction will have reserved credit orfunds on deposit covering Transactions made that day using its cards insufficient amount to satisfy both the requested payment and theapplicable processing fee. For Transactions reported as accurate by theAgency, GovPayNet completes a periodic capture process with the fundingbanks, and draws from these funds to send payment to the Agency.

Covering funds are transmitted from the card issuing banks toGovPayNet's clearing bank in step 422. Overall, this settlement iscompleted through an industry-standard process as depicted, in the caseof Card Association credit cards or debit cards, in FIG. 5.

At step 424, the GovPayNet computing device and its associatedapplications and databases act upon the settling funds based on the PLCand other information contained in the Transaction records, transmittingvia electronic data interchange (“EDI”) the instructions necessary tocause funds to be appropriately distributed to Agencies for which usershave directed payments in the processing day. GovPayNet's system causesfees owed to the company to be retained in the clearing account whilefunds encumbered for user payments to Agencies are transmitted via themethod previously identified in the appropriate PLC and communicated tothe clearing bank via GovPayNet EDI, concluding the payment process asstep 426.

The electronic payment authorization and settlement processes depictedin FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are by their nature complicated with manyintermediaries playing various processing and telecommunication roles.Each has been simplified to prevent unnecessary complexity.

In general, use of the system and method of the present disclosurebegins with a user authenticating with credentials that are provided tothe Agency upon service enrollment. Once authentication has occurred,the user will be able to select from any other system-participatingAgency using a dropdown list of participating Agencies for which tocollect and apply a payment. The user is then directed to user-friendlyscreens with the customized fields that are validated by the GovPayNetcentral data processing system to complete the entry of Transactioninformation. Upon a successful Transaction, funds are routed to theAgency that is intended to receive the payment. It is important to notethat, as the system and method of the present disclosure allows oneAgency (“Agency A”) to accept payment for a second Agency (“Agency B”)through utilizing the PLCs associated with Agency B, but fundssettlement occurs with Agency B's bank (or with Agency B receiving acheck). There is no need for Agency A to transmit funds to Agency B, aswould be the case if Agency A accepted a payment directly for Agency Bwithout utilizing the system and method of the present disclosure.

The Agency user's interaction with the GovPayNet central data processingsystem for the processing of a payment to another participating Agencybegins at FIG. 6. Within the SSL connection, the user is prompted forcredentials by the user's web browser. To facilitate a payment, the usermust be successfully authenticated and authorized. The user is promptedfor credentials every 16 hours.

As shown in FIG. 7, once successfully authenticated and authorized, theuser is presented with the GovPayNet home page used for the system andmethod of the present disclosure. This home page allows users to selectanother Agency and PLC to which they may direct the consumer's payment.Only Agencies and PLCs participating in a GovPayNet program making thesystem and method of the present disclosure available are visible forselection. The user is offered two options within the home page:continue or logout. If the user chooses to logout, the user isredirected to the generic GovPayNet payment home page, presently shownas GovPayNow.com.

FIG. 7 also depicts a sample selection of PLCs available to the user ina system-customized version of GovPayNow.com. When processing outside ofthe system and method of the present disclosure, an Agency user does nothave the ability to select other Agencies for Transactions.

As shown in FIG. 8, once the user has successfully made a choice, theuser is then sent to an “Enter Payment Information” page for furtherTransaction information collection. The payment information page iscustomized for each Agency and PLC based on its payment informationrequirements, meaning that an Agency utilizing the system and method mayaccess screens that are customized for the payee Agency for which theuser is handling a Transaction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the user is prompted to confirm the paymentinformation before proceeding.

As shown in FIG. 10, the user proceeds to enter their payment amount(s).Up to four amounts may be entered, although this is not intended torestrict the operation of the system and method to four amounts—thisamount is initially defined to prevent the system and method from beingtoo complex or unwieldy. The payment amounts entered will vary based onthe amounts owed to the identified Agency.

As shown in FIG. 11, the user is then required to enter card accountinformation.

FIG. 12 assumes GovPayNet is able to successfully obtain authorizationfrom the payment authorizing institution; if so, this Transactionsummary screen will appear.

FIG. 13 depicts how a user is empowered by the system and method of thepresent disclosure to produce a payment confirmation screen that may beprinted as a receipt for the consumer. The screen, however, iscustomized to reflect the payment made to the receiving Agency, not theAgency employing the user. Other embodiments of the system and method ofthe present disclosure are envisioned such that in addition to printscreen confirmation, email, fax, short message service, social media andother forms of confirmation can be made available to the consumer, uponthe consumer's provision of required communication information (emailaddress, fax number, SMS, Twitter feed, etc.) to the user.

As shown above, the system and method of the present disclosure is asecure application that allows Agencies to collaborate in their effortsto collect payments on outstanding charges of all kinds, no matter whatcollaborating Agency is ultimately owed the obligation. The applicationis fully customizable to the Agencies' needs in regards to the datafields they wish to establish and populate with Transaction information.This system and method is a secured uniform resource locator (“URL”)that requires authentication for access. The application is onlyaccessible to authorized users at the Agency level; it is not a publicURL, though this is not intended to limit availability of the system andmethod to the public in future embodiments. The system and method allowsfor multiple Agencies to collect monies for any charges that any Agencyestablishes with GovPayNet to be collected through the shared service.This gives Agencies an increased opportunity to collect charges,therefore potentially reducing the amount of charges outstanding andimproving cash flow. By establishing multiple Agencies as co-collectionpoints, the system and method also enhances consumer convenience.

As described above, the system and method of the present disclosure isassumed to provide value primarily to Agencies that share borders andservices, participate in a purchasing cooperative, are “feeder” Agenciesinto a central authority, or have other reason to cooperate such ascoordinated local law enforcement. For this reason, the system andmethod of the present disclosure is broadly referred to as across-jurisdiction payment environment (“OPE”). Due to the varyingreasons Agencies may have to cooperate, GovPayNet anticipates thatmultiple CJPEs will be deployed among the total customer base of aProcessing Company, such as GovPayNet. An additional utility of the CJPEis that by enabling Agencies to accept payments on behalf of othercooperating Agencies, the MIS that applies to any Transaction will beavailable to any of the Agencies cooperating within a given CJPEregardless of what Agency ultimately collected the funds owed.

This is of particular value to law enforcement. Law enforcement Agenciesthat apprehend an offender may also be in a shared criminal justice dataenvironment. A routine check of an offender may reveal outstandingfines, fees or warrants in a nearby jurisdiction. These obligations may,however, have recently been satisfied by the offender, but the paymentinformation has not yet been entered into local court records. This canresult in an offender being taken into custody erroneously, based onother apparently outstanding obligations, wasting law enforcementresources. In a CJPE, Agencies will have the ability to query the MISavailable through GovPayNet to rule out such a situation as GovPayNetupdates the payment information contained in Transaction records on areal-time basis, unlike court records, the updating of which may lagbehind the payment by several days.

The utility of the CJPE, however, is not limited to Transactionprocessing and MIS relating to law enforcement. The concept of the“CJPE-participating Agency” can be extended to any public orquasi-public authority that may benefit from shared MIS with respect towhether a public obligation has been satisfied. This may includedefining new requirements for the exercise of certain privileges, suchas satisfying various public obligations as a condition to the issuanceof a license or permit. The use of Payment Devices to satisfy publicobligations is an established, yet still growing practice. Byencouraging the establishment and enhancing the utility of CJPEs throughthe present disclosure, CJPEs themselves may become interactive, or ableto communicate with other government operations where there is aparticular need or service opportunity in doing so. For example, a CJPEconsisting of local Agencies may become interactive with a statedepartment of motor vehicles so that prior to issuing a commercialdrivers' license, where unpaid traffic tickets can be a barrier toissuance, the applicant may use a Payment Device at the state office tosatisfy this local obligation. Such interoperable applications ofPayment Devices within government will expedite collections, reduceadministrative burdens, and improve convenience for all stakeholders inthe government payments process.

The CJPE solution utilizes technology to be distributed via an Internetweb browser and server-side software for delivery and execution. Atpresent, utilizing a OPE requires GovPayNet's and each participatingAgency's systems to be integrated in order to permit file sharing anddata updates. The Agency will also be required to have a website and theability to include basic website program code to remotely incorporatethe services available through the CJPE.

Generally, GovPayNet provides Transaction processing services thatenable Payment Device Holders to use a Payment Device as a method tomake payments to various Agencies including courts, law enforcementdepartments, tax assessors, licensing departments, treasurers, andvarious public authorities such as schools, hospitals, park districtsand others via the Internet. These Agencies will have each contractedwith GovPayNet in advance to act as their Processing Company to providea Transaction processing and acceptance service on the Agency's behalfthrough GovPayNet systems and utilities. GovPayNet only makes itsservices available to Agencies that have entered into a GovPayNetTransaction processing service contract, or to Agencies that haveentered into contracts with other service providers to which GovPayNetitself is a contracted provider of Transaction processing services. Thecontracts may make GovPayNet the exclusive method of an Agency's paymentacceptance and are generally terminable at will by the Agency, a commonfeature in government contracts. An Agency under contract withGovPayNet, however, in addition to enabling its stakeholders andconstituents to make payments by a Payment Device, gains access toenhanced Transaction processing and related capabilities throughGovPayNet technologies including but not limited to the systems andmethods described in application Ser. No. 12/982,500 and can gain accessto the OPE as well, if desired.

Payment Device Holders typically execute a Transaction with aGovPayNet-contracted Agency through any of several methods. The PaymentDevice Holder may directly access the GovPayNet web site and process apayment through the Internet. The Payment Device Holder may telephoneGovPayNet toll-free and process a payment either entirely through anIntegrated Voice Response (“IVR”) unit that interacts with the Internetprocessing capabilities supporting GovPayNet's web site, through acustomer service representative (“CSR”) who accesses the same GovPayNetweb site that GovPayNet makes available to the public for Transactions,or through the use of an IVR and CSR in combination. The Payment DeviceHolder may visit the office of an Agency and process a payment using anAgency computing device directly (with or without the assistance ofAgency personnel), or through another non-Agency computing device suchas a kiosk, notebook or other device with Internet access owned anddeployed by GovPayNet or by a third party acting on behalf of GovPayNet.The CJPE as presently envisioned, however, is intended to supportweb-based Transaction processing initiated through an Agency computingdevice only, though this is not intended to rule out future embodimentsof the CIPE to any other method of Transaction acceptance that GovPayNetnow or may in the future provide.

By way of illustration and not limitation, the Transaction types thatmay be processed through an Agency computing device with the assistanceof the CJPE Model, for example, on behalf of a judicial Agency mayinclude, among others:

-   -   Civil court case filings    -   Counter-claims and claims involving third parties    -   Forcible entry and detainer (eviction)    -   Garnishments and attachments    -   Replevin (forced return of property)    -   Jury demand    -   Appearances    -   Summonses and subpoenas    -   Document storage    -   Mandatory arbitration    -   Motions and petitions    -   Appeals    -   Judgment recognition and enforcement    -   Records searches and file copies    -   Pleadings, motions, appeals and other filings similar to civil        litigation    -   Various other fees and surcharges associated with probate,        administrative, family court, bankruptcy, patent, and other        specialized proceedings

Fines and fees that may be due and payable to an Agency in criminal orquasi-criminal proceedings include, among others:

-   -   Felony complaints    -   Misdemeanor complaints    -   Business complaints    -   Petty offense, traffic and minor ordinance violations    -   Petition to vacate bond forfeiture or failure to appear    -   Writs of habeas corpus    -   Fees for supervision, probation and electronic monitoring    -   Fines, fees, restitution, etc.    -   Expungement requests    -   Inmate commissary payments    -   Cash bail

The CJPE is suitable for securely accepting Payment Device Data for manytypes of non-judicial and non-criminal justice system payments toAgencies, including, among others:

-   -   Civil fines and citations    -   Property taxes    -   Income taxes    -   Business taxes    -   Special assessments    -   Filing fees    -   Franchise fees    -   License fees    -   Permit fees    -   Document and records fees    -   Co-payments for medical services    -   Other public fees (parks, marinas, etc.)    -   Tuition, books and educational materials

Private-sector applications of the CJPE are also possible.

In an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, anInternet-based method is provided for the payment of financialobligations to an Agency enabling parties paying amounts to such Agencyby credit card, debit card, prepaid debit card, checking account,brokerage account, similar payment devices or other means of electronicpayment as may be developed, such as an Internet currency, to makepayment through any Agency or Agencies that have previously agreed toparticipate in the method, the paying party either making payment inperson at or remotely to any Agency participating in the method. Themethod includes a plurality of Agencies, each with an Agency computingsystem, participating in the method for the purpose of facilitating theprocessing of electronic payments and funds transfers from a pluralityof paying parties intending to satisfy various financial obligations tosuch participating Agencies. The method also includes a third-partyelectronic transaction processing business or similar entity with acentral computing system to which each Agency has delegated authorityunder a contractual arrangement or otherwise to act on behalf of suchAgencies in facilitating such payments; information related to suchplurality of Agencies stored in the database(s) of the transactionprocessing entity in the form of codes and instructions, such codes andinstructions including, but not limited to information relating to thetype of payment, applicable service fees for payment processing, paymentconditions and limitations, financial settlement, and other informationand instructions required by the transaction processing entity toexecute electronic payment requests from paying parties; and a linkthrough an Agency stationary, portable, mobile, or wireless computingdevice such as a personal computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone orsimilar device accessing a communication network such as the Internet toconnect with the web site of the transaction processing entity.

An introductory web page is generated and delivered by the transactionprocessing entity's computing device to the Agency computing device,such web page to be used by the paying party to initiate the paymentprocess with respect to any Agency participating in the method from thelocation of any other Agency participating in the method. A drop-downbox, map, search function or other process or system is generated anddelivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to theAgency computing device for the paying party to select the participatingAgency or Agencies the paying party intends to receive payment(s).

Payment-oriented web pages with instructions and fields are generatedand delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device tothe Agency computing device enabling the paying party to inputinformation relevant to intended payment(s) to the selected Agency orAgencies from the paying party for transmission to the transactionprocessing entity's central computing device. Instructions and fieldsprovided by the payment web pages generated and delivered by thetransaction processing entity's computing device to the Agency computingdevice permit the paying party to enter amount(s) owed, transactioncode(s), and other information the transaction processing entityrequires to identify the intended payment(s) and route the intendedpayment(s) correctly to the Agency(ies) the paying party identifies forreceipt of payment. Instructions and fields provided by the payment webpages generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity'scomputing device to the Agency computing device also permit the payingparty to enter the information necessary to identify a payment sourcesuch as card or account numbers relating to credit card, debit card,prepaid debit card, checking account, brokerage account, Internetcurrency account, or similar electronic payment sources, devices, andsuch other means of electronic payment originating from a paying party'sfunds provider as may be developed which are capable of use over acommunication network such as the Internet, the transaction processingentity's computing device applying codes and instructions stored in thedatabase(s) on the transaction processing entity's computing device tocalculate and display to the paying party any fees applicable toprocessing the payment(s) imposed by or through the transactionprocessing entity.

The transaction processing entity's computing device applies codes andinstructions stored in the database(s) on the transaction processingentity's computing device to display to the paying party any conditions,limitations, disclaimers, or other necessary or advisable informationassociated with the intended payment(s). A web page generated anddelivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to theAgency computing device provides an opportunity for the paying party toselect more than one payment or obligation or more than one Agency fromthe plurality of Agencies to be made through a “shopping cart” functionthat will initiate the repetition of instructions and fields to assistthe paying party in making additional payment(s) to an Agency and/or toadditional selected Agencies.

Another web page generated and delivered by the transaction processingentity's computing device to the Agency computing device provides anopportunity for the paying party to review all items and obligations thepaying party has selected for payment, all methods selected for payment,all Agencies to be paid, payment amounts, and related payment fees,separately and in total. Yet another web page generated and delivered bythe transaction processing entity's computing device to the Agencycomputing device provides an opportunity for the paying party to approvethe transaction(s) if satisfactory to the paying party, or, ifunsatisfactory, providing an opportunity for the paying party to editthe information the paying party has provided until the paying party issatisfied with all details of the proposed transaction(s).

Upon the paying party's positive indication of approval of thetransaction(s), the electronic transaction processor's computing devicecontacting the paying party's card issuer, bank, brokerage, or otherfunds provider over a communication network to obtain authorization ofthe transaction or, alternatively, receive from the funds provider thedeclination of a requested transaction and any reasons therefore (i.e.,insufficient credit balance, insufficient funds on deposit, stolen card,frozen account, etc.). The transaction processing entity's computingdevice communicates over the public communication network back to theAgency computing device and displays to the paying party the approval ofthe paying party's requested transaction(s) if successful and, ifunsuccessful in whole or in part, the reasons therefore.

A web page generated and delivered by the transaction processingentity's computing device to the Agency computing device provides anopportunity for the paying party to re-attempt the unsuccessfultransaction(s) or parts thereof using alternate electronic payment meansor device(s). Upon the paying party's positive indication, re-initiationof the transaction processing entity's authorization process withrespect to such declined transactions, the paying party can attempt touse alternate electronic payment means or devices until such time as thepaying party has obtained full approval for the requested transaction(s)or abandoned the effort to complete all or parts of the transaction(s)previously declined by the funds provider.

The transaction processing entity's computing device transmits over thecommunication network to an Agency's computing device or to a pluralityof Agencies the approved payment(s), providing such Agency(ies) anopportunity to manually accept or decline such approved transaction(s).In lieu of the transaction processing entity's computing devicetransmitting over the communication network to Agency's(ies') computingdevices transactions that the Agency(ies) may manually accept ordecline, any payment(s) approved by the funds provider may betransmitted without providing an opportunity for such Agency(ies) todecline transactions, each such transaction being considered by thetransaction processing entity's computing device as accepted by theAgency(ies).

A web page generated and delivered by the transaction processingentity's computing device to the Agency computing device provides anopportunity for the paying party to obtain confirmation and paymentdetails for the approved and accepted transaction(s) through downloadinga confirmation or executing a printable confirmation or requestingconfirmation through an email, SMS number, interactive voice response,social media website, or other means of receiving payment confirmationand details generated by the transaction processing entity's computingdevice. The transaction processing entity's computing device transmitsover the communication network to a plurality of Agencies' computingdevices information related to approved payment(s) to the Agency(ies)including but not limited to paying parties' names, payment types,payment amounts, the obligations paid, and other information necessaryor appropriate to enable each such Agency to properly apply fundsrelated to the approved payments.

While this disclosure has been described as having exemplary designs andembodiments, the present system may be further modified within thespirit and scope of this disclosure and the following claims. Variousdisclosed features may be used in combination with other disclosedfeatures without implementing the entire disclosed system and method.This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, oradaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further,this application is intended to cover such departures from the presentdisclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art towhich this disclosure pertains.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for the payment offinancial obligations to a selected agency from a payment sourceincluding at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a prepaid debitcard, a checking account, a brokerage account or an electronic payment,through an agency computing device associated with any one of aplurality of participating agencies communicating with a transactionprocessor computer system via a communication network, the methodcomprising: storing information related to the plurality of agencies ina database accessible by the transaction processor computer system, theinformation including a type of payment, an applicable service fee forpayment processing, payment conditions and limitations, and financialsettlement information to permit the transaction processor computersystem to execute an electronic payment request from a paying party;generating and providing with the transaction processor computer systemfor display on the agency computing device a page to permit the payingparty to initiate a payment process with respect to a selected agency,and to input information related to an intended payment to the selectedagency including information to identify the payment source fortransmission to the transaction processor computer system; calculatingwith the transaction processor computer system a fee applicable toprocessing the intended payment and providing for display to the payingparty through the agency computing device information related to thecalculated fee; determining with the transaction processor computersystem and providing for display to the paying party through the agencycomputing device applicable conditions, limitations, disclaimers, andinstructions related to the intended payment; generating and providingwith the transaction processor computer system for display on the agencycomputing device a page to permit the paying party to review items andobligations the paying party has selected related to the paymentincluding a payment amount, a method selected for payment, the selectedagency, and the calculated fee; generating and providing with thetransaction processor computer system or display on the agency computingdevice a page to permit the paying party to approve each transaction,or, if unsatisfactory, permitting the paying party to edit theinformation the paying party has provided; receiving with thetransaction processor computer system an approval from the paying partyof the transaction; responsive to receipt of the approval, contactingwith the transaction processor computer system a paying party cardissuer, a bank, a brokerage, or a fund provider via the communicationnetwork to obtain authorization of the transaction or to receive adeclination of a requested transaction and any reasons therefore;generating and providing with the transaction processor computer systemfor display on the agency computing device a page displaying to thepaying party the approval of the requested transaction if successfuland, if unsuccessful in whole or in part, the reasons therefore;generating and providing with the transaction processor computer systemfor display on the agency computing device a page permitting the payingparty to re-attempt an unsuccessful transaction using an alternatepayment form or providing additional or corrected information relatingto the intended payment; responsive to receiving a request from thepaying party, re-initiating with the transaction processor computersystem the payment authorization process with respect to suchunsuccessful transaction; generating and providing with the transactionprocessor computer system for display on the agency computing deviceinformation regarding an approved payment transaction; generating andproviding with the transaction processor computer system for display onthe agency computing device a page to permit the paying party to obtainconfirmation and payment details for the approved payment transaction;generating and providing with the transaction processor computer systemfor display on the agency computing device information related to theapproved payment to the agency including at least a name of the payingparty, a payment type, a payment amount, an obligations paid, andinformation to permit the selected agency to properly apply fundsrelated to the approved payments.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein alink to the transaction processor computer system is opened through anon-agency stationary, portable, mobile, or wireless computing devicesuch as a personal computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or similardevice.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaininginformation from a credit card, a debit card, or a prepaid debit cardthrough a card reader/swipe device connected to the agency computingdevice.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the card reader/swipe deviceincludes a wireless communication device configured to communicate withthe agency computing device.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving with the transaction processor computer system anelectronic payment of each approved payment amount and any additionalprocessing fee through a settlement account.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising generating a financial settlement with thetransaction processor computer system of approved payments to the agencycontained in the database of the transaction processor computer systemand directing transmission of funds related to the approved paymentsthrough the transaction processor computer system to the agencycomputing device of the selected agency.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising transferring funds with the transaction processorcomputer system to a depository account of the selected agency.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising generating a report with thetransaction processor computer system to the plurality of agenciesindicating a status of payment requests received and processed on behalfof the plurality of agencies.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising providing downloadable data through a data portal with thetransaction processor computer system regarding a status of a paymentrequest received and processed on behalf of the selected agency.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein generating and providing with the transactionprocessor computer system for display on the agency computing device apage to permit the paying party to initiate a payment process withrespect to a selected Agency comprises generating and providing with thetransaction processor computer system for display on the agencycomputing device at least one of a drop-down box, a map, and a searchfunction to permit the paying party to select the Agency that payingparty intends to receive the payment.
 11. The method of claim 1, whereinthe instructions and fields generated and provided with the transactionprocessor computer system for display on the agency computing device apayment-oriented page providing instructions and fields to permit thepaying party to input information relevant to an intended payment to theselected agency for transmission to the transaction processor computersystem an amount owed and identifying information to permit thetransaction processor computer system to receive the intended paymentand route the intended payment correctly to the selected agency.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising generating and providing with thetransaction processor computer system for display on the agencycomputing device a page to permit the paying party to select a pluralityof payments to be made to a plurality of selected agencies.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein generating and providing with thetransaction processor computer system a page for display on the usercomputing device permitting the paying party to select a plurality ofpayments to be made to a plurality of selected agencies includesproviding a “shopping cart” function initiating the repetition of anonline form and instructions for the acceptance from the paying party ofinformation to enable the paying party to make additional payments toadditional selected agencies.
 14. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising generating and providing with the transaction processorcomputer system for display on the agency computing device informationto permit the selected agency to manually accept or decline approvedpayment transactions.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the approvedpayment transactions are considered by the transaction processorcomputer system as accepted by the selected agency.
 16. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising responsive to a request from the payingparty for a confirmation and payment details for the approved andaccepted transactions transmitting a confirmation from the transactionprocessor computing system via a printable file, an email, a shortmessage service number, an interactive voice response, a social mediawebsite, or similar communication method.
 17. A computer-implementedmethod for the payment of financial obligations to a selected agency bya payment source including at least one of a credit card, a debit card,a prepaid debit card, a checking account, a brokerage account or anelectronic payment, through an agency computing device located at anyone of a plurality of participating agencies communicating with atransaction processor computer system via a communication network, themethod comprising: a third-party electronic transaction processingbusiness or similar entity with a central computing system to which eachagency has delegated authority under a contractual arrangement orotherwise to act on behalf of such agencies in facilitating suchpayments; information related to such plurality of agencies stored inthe database(s) of the transaction processing entity in the form ofcodes and instructions, such codes and instructions including, but notlimited to information relating to the type of payment, applicableservice fees for payment processing, payment conditions and limitations,financial settlement, and other information and instructions required bythe transaction processing entity to execute electronic payment requestsfrom paying parties; a link through an agency stationary, portable,mobile, or wireless computing device such as a personal computer,laptop, tablet, smartphone or similar device accessing a communicationnetwork such as the Internet to connect with the web site of thetransaction processing entity; an introductory web page generated anddelivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to theagency computing device, such web page to be used by the paying party toinitiate the payment process with respect to any agency participating inthe method from the location of any other agency participating in themethod; a drop-down box, map, search function or other process or systemgenerated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computingdevice to the agency computing device for the paying party to select theparticipating agency or agencies the paying party intends to receivepayment(s); payment-oriented web pages with instructions and fieldsgenerated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computingdevice to the agency computing device enabling the paying party to inputinformation relevant to intended payment(s) to the selected agency oragencies from the paying party for transmission to the transactionprocessing entity's central computing device; instructions and fieldsprovided by the payment web pages generated and delivered by thetransaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computingdevice for the paying party to enter amount(s) owed, transactioncode(s), and other information the transaction processing entityrequires to identify the intended payment(s) and route the intendedpayment(s) correctly to the agency(ies) the paying party identifies forreceipt of payment; instructions and fields provided by the payment webpages generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity'scomputing device to the agency computing device for the paying party toenter the information necessary to identify a payment source such ascard or account numbers relating to credit card, debit card, prepaiddebit card, checking account, brokerage account, Internet currencyaccount, or similar electronic payment sources, devices, and such othermeans of electronic payment originating from a paying party's fundsprovider as may be developed which are capable of use over acommunication network such as the Internet; the transaction processingentity's computing device applying codes and instructions stored in thedatabase(s) on the transaction processing entity's computing device tocalculate and display to the paying party any fees applicable toprocessing the payment(s) imposed by or through the transactionprocessing entity; the transaction processing entity's computing deviceapplying codes and instructions stored in the database(s) on thetransaction processing entity's computing device to display to thepaying party any conditions, limitations, disclaimers, or othernecessary or advisable information associated with the intendedpayment(s); a web page generated and delivered by the transactionprocessing entity's computing device to the agency computing deviceproviding an opportunity for the paying party to select more than onepayment or obligation or more than one agency from the plurality ofagencies to be made through a “shopping cart” function that willinitiate the repetition of instructions and fields to assist the payingparty in making additional payment(s) to an agency and/or to additionalselected agencies; a web page generated and delivered by the transactionprocessing entity's computing device to the agency computing deviceproviding an opportunity for the paying party to review all items andobligations the paying party has selected for payment, all methodsselected for payment, all agencies to be paid, payment amounts, andrelated payment fees, separately and in total; a web page generated anddelivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to theagency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party toapprove the transaction(s) if satisfactory to the paying party, or, ifunsatisfactory, providing an opportunity for the paying party to editthe information the paying party has provided until the paying party issatisfied with all details of the proposed transaction(s); upon thepaying party's positive indication of approval of the transaction(s),the electronic transaction processor's computing device contacting thepaying party's card issuer, bank, brokerage, or other funds providerover a communication network to obtain authorization of the transactionor, alternatively, receive from the funds provider the declination of arequested transaction and any reasons therefore (i.e., insufficientcredit balance, insufficient funds on deposit, stolen card, frozenaccount, etc.); the transaction processing entity's computing devicecommunicating over the public communication network back to the agencycomputing device and displaying to the paying party the approval of thepaying party's requested transaction(s) if successful and, ifunsuccessful in whole or in part, the reasons therefore; a web pagegenerated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computingdevice to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for thepaying party to re-attempt the unsuccessful transaction(s) or partsthereof using alternate electronic payment means or device(s); upon thepaying party's positive indication, re-initiation of the transactionprocessing entity's authorization process with respect to such declinedtransactions, the paying party attempting to use alternate electronicpayment means or devices until such time as the paying party hasobtained full approval for the requested transaction(s) or abandoned theeffort to complete all or parts of the transaction(s) previouslydeclined by the funds provider; the transaction processing entity'scomputing device transmitting over the communication network to anagency's computing device or to a plurality of agencies the approvedpayment(s) and providing such agency(ies) an opportunity to manuallyaccept or decline such approved transaction(s); in lieu of thetransaction processing entity's computing device transmitting over thecommunication network to agency's(ies') computing devices any approvedpayment(s) without providing an opportunity for such agency(ies) anopportunity to decline transactions, each such transaction beingconsidered by the transaction processing entity's computing device asaccepted by the agency(ies); a web page generated and delivered by thetransaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computingdevice providing an opportunity for the paying party to obtainconfirmation and payment details for the approved and acceptedtransaction(s) through downloading a confirmation or executing aprintable confirmation or requesting confirmation through an email,short message service number, interactive voice response, social mediawebsite, or other means of receiving payment confirmation and detailsgenerated by the transaction processing entity's computing device; andthe transaction processing entity's computing device transmitting overthe communication network to a plurality of agencies' computing devicesinformation related to approved payment(s) to the agency(ies) includingbut not limited to paying parties' names, payment types, paymentamounts, the Obligations paid, and other information necessary orappropriate to enable each such agency to properly apply funds relatedto the approved payments.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the linkto the transaction processing entity's computing device is openedthrough a non-agency stationary, portable, mobile, or wireless computingdevice such as a personal computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone orsimilar device.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein certain informationrelated to a payment that the paying party initiates by credit card,debit card, or prepaid debit card is transmitted to the transactionprocessing entity's payment web page through a card reader/swipe deviceconnected to the agency computing device.
 20. The method of claim 17,further comprising the transaction processing entity receiving dailythrough a settlement account owned and controlled by the transactionprocessing entity the electronic payment of the proposed payment amountsand the additional processing fees from a plurality of funds providershaving previously approved the paying parties' requested transactionstransmitted through the transaction processing entity.
 21. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising a daily financial settlement processwhereby the codes, instructions, and information related to the approvedpayments to agencies contained in the transaction processing entity'scomputing device's database(s) generate instructions to direct thetransmissions of hatch payments of the approved payment amounts to eachagency identified as having been indicated by a paying party as apayment recipient.
 22. The method of claim 17, further comprising adaily or more frequent electronic funds transfer, wire transfer, orsimilar electronic method of transmitting funds, to a depository accountcommunicated previously to the transaction processing entity by eachagency to the transaction processing entity and identified through thecode(s) and instructions stored in the database(s) on the transactionprocessing entity's computing device for the purpose of directing thedisbursement of batch payments by electronic method for approvedtransactions to such agency depository accounts.
 23. The method of claim17, further comprising a daily or more frequent issuance of a check tobe mailed through a check fulfillment process to each agency at anaddress communicated previously to the transaction processing entity byeach agency to the transaction processing entity and identified throughthe code(s) and instructions stored in the database(s) on thetransaction processing entity's computing device for the purpose ofdirecting the disbursement of batch payments by check for approvedtransactions to such agency depository accounts.
 24. The method of claim17, further comprising the transaction processing entity's computingdevice generating reports to the plurality of agencies indicating thestatus of payment requests received and processed on behalf of theplurality of agencies.
 25. The method of claim 17, further comprised ofthe transaction processing entity's computing device providing through adata portal downloadable data regarding the status of payment requestsreceived and processed on behalf of the agencies enabling agencies toself-direct the agencies' reporting process.
 26. The method of claim 17,wherein the card swipe device includes a wireless communication deviceconfigured to communicate with the agency computing device.
 27. Themethod of claim 17, further comprised of application of the method andall variations to the method describe above to facilitate payments toprivate sector entities.